· Busch.wf

In the study Putting Feelings into Words (2007), Matthew Lieberman and his colleagues investigate a phenomenon that many already know intuitively: it helps to put your feelings into words. But this study makes it visible in the brain. Using fMRI scans, the researchers discovered that naming emotions — also known as *affect labeling* — leads to a calming effect on the amygdala, the brain region involved in emotional responses such as fear and anger.

When subjects name a negative emotion (“I feel angry” or “I am sad”), activity in the amygdala decreases. At the same time, activity increases in the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, an area associated with self-reflection and regulation. Simply put: verbalizing feelings creates more inner peace and clarity. What makes this study so special is that it provides neurological evidence for something that has long been applied in therapy, meditation, and even friendship: putting words to what you feel has a healing effect. It is not suppression or analysis, but a direct way to get a grip on inner chaos.

Putting Feelings into Words thus offers more than scientific insights — it is a confirmation of something fundamentally human. Emotions want to be felt, but also seen and acknowledged. And sometimes that simply begins with daring to say: “I feel this way.” That small act of language turns out to be a key to regulation, connection, and change.